The "hard technology" in "Wandering Earth 2" is what scientists say
2023-01-28
Planetary engines that spew blue light, quantum computers that know everything, and space elevators that soar into the clouds... During the Spring Festival this year, the original Chinese sci-fi film "Wandering Earth 2" was released. The endless "hard technology" elements in the film made the audience exclaim. From science fiction to science, can they be realized in imagination? The reporter interviewed scientists in relevant fields. Can a planetary engine be built? In the film, human beings plan to install tens of thousands of giant planetary engines on the earth to promote the "wandering journey" of the earth. These engines rely on the huge energy generated by heavy nuclear fusion. Wang Teng, an associate researcher of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Hefei Institute of Materials Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has long studied nuclear fusion energy, said that nuclear fusion reaction is a process of combining two atomic nuclei to produce a heavier atomic nucleus, which can generate huge energy. "It is reasonable in principle to use this energy to promote the earth." However, it is not easy to achieve heavy nuclear fusion, Heavy nuclear fusion uses silicon and other elements as fusion materials. Such fusion must first overcome the electrostatic repulsion between atomic nuclei. The heavier the atomic nucleus carries, the more difficult it is to produce fusion. "The controllable nuclear fusion that we are currently extensively studying adopts light nuclear fusion." Wang Teng said that its fusion materials, deuterium and tritium, are the two isotopes of hydrogen, the lightest element in nature, which is easier to achieve than heavy nuclear fusion. The fully superconducting Tokamak nuclear fusion experimental device (EAST), known as the "artificial sun" in the plasma physics research institute of Hefei Institute of Material Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chen Nuo and Wang Teng, a reporter from the Xinhua News Agency, told reporters that controlled nuclear fusion is one of the most cutting-edge major scientific issues in the world at present. After more than 70 years of joint efforts of all mankind, nuclear fusion research has entered the "chapter" of experimental reactor and engineering reactor from experimental device. "It may be too early for fusion to promote planet travel, but there is great hope to light a lamp," Wang Teng said. Is quantum computer really omnipotent? In the film, the 550 series of quantum computers with super computing power and self-awareness are amazing. "Obviously, it is already an excellent universal quantum computer." Professor Guo Guoping, secretary-general of the quantum computing professional group of the Chinese Computer Society, believes that quantum computing is expected to play an important role in our production and life in the future. It is reported that the academic community divides the development of quantum computing into three stages: "realizing the advantages of quantum computing", "realizing the special quantum simulator", and "building a programmable universal quantum computer". A well-known scholar in the field of quantum computing at home and abroad said that at present, the research and development of quantum computers at home and abroad has achieved the goal of the first stage. Achieving the goal of the second stage is the main research task of the current academic community. It will take at least 10 to 15 years before the application shown in science fiction films. Photon interference physical image of quantum computing prototype "Chapter 9". What is the key of Liu Junxi, a reporter from the Xinhua News Agency, to shoot the space elevator? In the film, the running scene of the space elevator towering into the clouds and connecting the heaven and earth is shocking. "The core problem is to find suitable materials to be used as elevator cables." Associate researcher of the University of Science and Technology of China, who has been studying new materials for a long time
Edit:Ying Ying Responsible editor:Jia Jia
Source:xinhuanet.com
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